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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. drill — the tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fine — all right
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. drill — army training
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wax — to grow

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com